Peppermint Bark Brownies

Using peppermint bark or just your favorite chocolate and some candy canes, you can make these ultra-fudgy, delicious brownies in less than an hour to get your mint chocolate fix.

Peppermint Bark Brownies

Using peppermint bark or just your favorite chocolate and some candy canes, you can make these ultra-fudgy, delicious brownies in less than an hour to get your mint chocolate fix.

Let's talk about the recipe!

Ingredients

  • Eggs
  • Dark brown sugar
  • Peppermint extract
  • Vanilla extract
  • Salt
  • Unsalted butter
  • Peppermint bark or good quality chocolate + crushed candy canes
  • Plain flour
  • More crushed candy canes for topping
stainless steel bowl with white powder
Photo by Joyful / Unsplash

Whip the Sugar and Eggs

Preheat an oven to 350f. Grease a 9x13 aluminum baking pan (if you use glass, bake for 10 extra minutes) and line with parchment paper. Add the eggs, sugar, extracts, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk for 10 minutes until lightened in color (you can use a hand mixer, you just won’t be able to do the next step at the same time).

So why whip part of the batter? Well, it helps these brownies stay fudgy instead of unpleasantly dense and stodgy, and it also helps that crackly crust form on the top of the brownies which provides a lovely variance in texture. It's a bit of a pain, but it's a highly worth it endeavor for a perfect brownie texture.

chocolate on blue bowl
Photo by Viacheslav Bublyk / Unsplash

Melt the Chocolate

While the mixture is whisked, melt butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour into a heat-safe bowl over the peppermint bark or chocolate and candy cane pieces. Whisk until melted and smooth.

This method is a really great way to avoid overcooking your chocolate. Overcooked chocolate will separate in baked goods, leaving them somehow oily and dry at the same time, so instead of directly applying any heat to the chocolate we're just pouring over the already hot butter to melt it gently. This method is easy and reliable.

Brownie batter topped with crushed candy canes in baking paper lined dish

Combine the Batter

Pour the chocolate into the sugar mixture while whisking continuously. Stop whisking and sift in the flour. Fold in with a rubber spatula until combined, pour into the greased pan, and top with candy canes. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven, tap several times to deflate bubbles, return to oven, and bake for another 20 minutes. Cool and serve.

When you fold in the flour, this dough is going to seem almost marshmallow-y from the whipped eggs and the cooling chocolate. That's why we want to tap halfway through baking, to help reduce bubbles and ensure they end up fudgy rather than fluffy. If you prefer a fluffy brownie, you can skip this step!

Peppermint Bark Brownies Recipe


Download the recipe here

Servings: 12

Active time: 15 minutes

Total time: 55 minutes

Servings: 16


Ingredients:


  • 6 eggs
  • 2 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
  • 1 tsp peppermint extract
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
  • 12 oz peppermint bark or 10 oz good quality chocolate + 1/3 cup crushed candy canes
  • 1 cup plain flour
  • Crushed candy canes for topping


Method:


  1. Preheat an oven to 350f. Grease a 9x13 aluminum baking pan (if you use glass, bake for 10 extra minutes) and line with parchment paper.
  2. Add the eggs, sugar, extracts, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer and whisk for 10 minutes until lightened in color (you can use a hand mixer, you just won’t be able to do the next step at the same time).
  3. While the mixture is whisked, melt butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour into a heat-safe bowl over the peppermint bark or chocolate and candy cane pieces. Whisk until melted and smooth.
  4. Pour the chocolate into the sugar mixture while whisking continuously. Stop whisking and sift in the flour. Fold in with a rubber spatula until combined, pour into the greased pan, and top with candy canes.
  5. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven, tap several times to deflate bubbles, return to oven, and bake for another 20 minutes. Cool and serve.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 16
Amount per serving 
Calories429
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18.8g24%
Saturated Fat 13.3g66%
Cholesterol 142mg47%
Sodium 4934mg215%
Total Carbohydrate 54.1g20%
Dietary Fiber 1.2g4%
Total Sugars 46g 
Protein 7.4g 
Vitamin D 13mcg66%
Calcium 69mg5%
Iron 2mg12%
Potassium 88mg2%

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About the Author

Hi! I'm Alexandra Massengale, and I've been cooking and baking for over 12 years. My passion is making cheap, convenient, nutrient-dense food that still tastes amazing, and helping to perpetuate healthy eating habits without perpetuating diet culture. I want you to find recipes that make your body and heart happy, without putting any food off limits or making you feel guilty for loving delicious things.

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By Alexandra Massengale

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